Bathtub apron construction



Aug- 19, 1958 w. R. DoRNAcK 2,847,680

BATHTUB -APRN'CoNsTRUcTIoN Filed July 1e. 195s INVENTOR. /Vy/Vf ,Q 00p/mex BATHTUB APRON CONSTRUCTION Wayne R. Dornack, Rochester, Minn.

Application July 16, 1956, Serial No. 598,184

4 Claims. (Cl. 4-173) This invention relates to bathtubs, and more particularly to a bathtub apron construction to be used with conventional plumbed bathtubs.

ln ordinary bathtub structures, the tub itself is placed upon or in close proximity to the door, and in some instances, the tub is placed in a depression or opening formed in the floor. The tub may or may not be provided with a short side panel which is designed to make the tub neat and pleasing in appearance. Unfortunately, the ordinary bathtub, regardless of its construction, is not easy for the user to clean because the lower, side and bottom portions are quite near the floor and require the user to bend down and to reach out in uncomfortable and awkward manner. This dificulty is further aggravated when the tub is recessed in the floor.

It has been customary in prior art to consider the ease of getting in and out of a bathtub as the most important factor in the design and installation thereof, and substantially no attention has been directed to the problem of cleaning and wiping the interior of the tub after use.

It is an important object of this invention to overcome the above noted difficulties and to provide a novel apron structure which will be usable to raise a co-nventional or special bathtub to a higher level and thereby render it easier to clean. i

Another object of the invention is to provide an apron structure which will assist in supporting the weight of a bathtub and, further, has means facilitating the users entrance and exit from the tub.

A further object is the provision of a neat and harmonious apron structure for a bathtub which will inexpensively and efficiently improve a bathtub assembly and installation.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention Will more fully appear from the following description made in connection with the accompanying draw ings wherein like reference characters refer to same parts throughout the several views and in which:

lFigure 1 is a perspective View of my bathtub apron supporting a bathtub in conjunction with a door and wall structure; and

iFigure 2 is a vertical section of the apron and tub struc-- ture in mounted relation taken on the line 2--2 of Figure l.

With continued reference to the drawing, it is contemplated that iny invention be used in conjunction with a more or less conventional bathtub structure, such as the -tub generally indicated at 10. The tub has the usual concave wall structure 11 which terminates upwardly in a margin l2 which extends all the way around the tub. Margin l2 then continues downwardly at 13 and terminates in an inturned Iiange 14, as shown in Figure 2. Tub may be of cast iron or steel structure and may be coated or treated with a hard finish such as porcelain or glass. The tub may be provided with fixtures such as the inlet faucet 15 and drain conduit 16.

The bathtub iti is adapted to be mounted in a room as to sit cornerwise between two walls T37 and tti, as

ited States Patent O F l 2,847,680 Patented Aug. 19, 1958 shown in Figure l. The floor 19 is the reference plane with which we are concerned and it is understood that,

, in some instances, the bathtub 10 may intert with wall structure at three sides so that the head portion 20 of margin 12, as well as the rear 21 and the foot 22, may be in contact with wall structure. In the form shown however, only the head and rear portions 20 and 21 are in contact with walls 17 and 18 to show the more complicated situation to which my invention can be adapted. The forward portion 23 of margin 12 s always free and clear of Wall surfaces.

An important feature of my invention is the apron structure indicated generally at S which is preferably formed from sheet steel and coated with porcelain or enamel to closely match or complement the color scheme of the tub 10. The apron S has a generally vertical sheet body 24 which extends from the end 25 to the corner 26 and thence around to terminate at endl 27 in contact with wall 18 unless tub 10 is surrounded at three sides by wall structure, as previously noted, in which case the portion of the sheet body extending from corner 26 to end 27 becomes unessential. Sheet body 24 has a horizontal upper supporting edge 28 which comprises an inturned ange adapted to contact the inturned ange 14 of margin 12 at its forward portion 23, as shown. Flange 28 is intended to support the marginal flange 14 along the forward portion and to follow the contours thereof to render a pleasing appearance as well as to supply a continuous area which can be easily cleaned and which will not provide crevices or recesses for dirt to collect. For additional rigidity, the end 25 may be provided with an inturned flange formed integrally with the upper supporting edge 23 or independentlythereof.

ln the form of the invention shown in Figure 1, the upper supporting edge 28 continues around the body to support the foot portion 22 of margin 12 and to terminate at the end 27 in contact with wall 18, as shown.

The sheet body 24 also has a lower horizontal edge 3i) which rests upon the oor 19 beneath the edge margins 12 of tub it?, which lower horizontal edge 30 may comprise an inturned ange similar to that at the upper edge 28. As previously noted, the lower horizontal ange 30 may extend around corner 26 to Wall 18, remaining in contact with door i9 all the while. The sheet body 24 may be normal to the lloor 19 or may slope gently oute wardly from the upper edge 28 down to the lower edge 30, as shown in the drawing.

An important feature of my invention resides in the height of the apron S which will position the tub 10 at a height substantially above the floor i9. Such arrangement is, of course, in contradistinction to the conventional positioning of tub .l in which the concave bottom struc-- ture il normally adjacent the level of floor i9 or may even be recessed therebelow. T he present invention contemplates that tub lt) be positioned at a height such that a normal user can easily reach all portions thereof when cleaning and wiping the exposed surfaces thereof after use. Support bar means 31 are secured in horizontal position so as to support the inturned flange 14 of rear margin portion 21, as shown in Figure 2.

intermediate the upper-and lower edges 28 and 30 respectively, I provide a step shown generally at 32, which step is inwardly offset from the general plane of the sheet body 24. The step is provided with a tread 33 which extends horizontally inward from the sheet body 24 and a riser 34 which joins with rear edge 35 of the tread 33 and extends upwardly to join again with the general plane of sheet body 2d. An abrasive or roughened surface 36 may be provided on the tread 33 so that it will not be slippery even when wet. The entire step 32 can be formed by stamping the step from the one piece sheet body if nich will maintain the continuity of the entire 'apron to create a pleasing appearance as well as sanitary conditions. As sho-wn, the step' 32 lies intermediate the upper and lower edges 23 and 30 and permits a user to step thereon Iwhen-getting into and out of the tub 10. The lower edge 311 of the sheet body 2li is not outwardly of the forward margin 2t) to such an extent as will render difficult standing in front of the apron while cleaning out the tub 10.

It will be observed that my apron structure makes it possible for a user t0 easily clean a tub structure without bending or reaching in awkward positions and, at the same time, provides means for getting into and out of the tub easily. Still further, my apron structure provides secure support for the tub and adapts itself to a variety i of architectural installations. In all cases, the apron is of pleasing appearance and, itself, sanitary and easily cleaned.

It will, of course, be understood that various changes may be made in the form, details and arrangement ot the parts without departing from the scope of my invention.

What I claim is:

l. ln a bathtub assemblage utilizing a conventional bathtub having a basin and an upper side edge located approximately at knee height when the basin rests upon a floor, a supporting apron adapted to be secured edgewise at the side of said bathtub positioned in spaced relation above a supporting Floor, said apron having a generally vertical sheet body, a horizontal upper supporting edge on said sheet for positioning underneath a side edge of the bathtub, a lower horizontal edge on the sheet for resting upon a iloor beneath the side edge, and a step inwardly offset from the sheet medially of the upper and lower edges, said apron being of such height as to raise the upper side edge of the tub a distance above the floor approximating waist height.

2. In a bathtub assemblage utilizing a conventional bathtub having a basin and an upper side edge located approximately at knee height when the basin rests upon a oor, a supporting apron adapted to be secured edgewise at the side of said bathtub positioned in spaced relation above a supporting floor, said apron having a generally vertical sheet body, an inturned ange horizontally formed at the upper edge of said sheet and defining a support for the underside of a bathtub at the edge portion thereof, an inturned liange horizontally formed at the lower edge of said sheet and defining a bearing support for contact with a door beneath the edge portions medially of the upper and lower edges, said apron being '4 of such height as to raise the upper side edge of the tub a distance above the door approximating waist height.

3. In a bathtub assemblage utilizing a conventional bathtub having a basin and an upper side edge located approximately at knee height when the basin rests upon a lioor, a supporting apron adapted to be secured edgewise at the side of said bathtub positioned in spaced relation above a supporting floor, said apr-on having an upstanding sheet body, a horizontal upper supporting edge on said sheet for positioning underneath a side edge of the bathtub, a lower horizontal edge on the sheet lor resting upon a door beneath the side edge, said sheet body sloping downwardly and outwardly from the upper to the lower edge thereof, a step having a horizontal tread extending inwardly toward a bathtub when supported on said apron, said step further having a reversely bent riser standing outwardly to join a sheet body, said step being positioned medially of the upper and lower edges of said sheet body, the vertical distance between said upper and lower edges being such as to raise the upper side edge of the tub a `distance above the door approximating waist height.

4. In a bathtub assemblage utilizing a conventional bathtub haivng a basin and an upper side edge located approximately at knee height when the basin rests upon a door, a supporting apron adapted to be secured edgewise at the side of said bathtub positioned in spaced relation above a supporting floor, said apron having a generally vertical sheet body, a horizontal upper supporting edge formed integrally with said sheet for positioning underneath a side edge of the bathtub, a lower horizontal edge formed integrally with said sheet body for resting upon a ioor beneath the side edge and somewhat outwardly therefrom, Said sheet body being adapted to continuously coextend between exposed bathtub side margins to the floor and in wall-to-wall relation, a step having a horizontal tread and upwardly extending risers integrally stamped in said sheet body at a position medially of theupper and lower edges thereof, the total height of the apron being such as to raise the upper side edge ot the tub a distance above the door approximating waist height.

References Cited in the [ile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,993,420 Steele Mar. 5, 1935 2,173,185 Stanton Sept. 19, 1939 2,305,846 Coordes Dec. 22, 1942 2,481,624 Sarchet Sept. 13, 1949 

